10 years ago, a guy by the name of Ty Tryon was going to be the next Tiger Woods. He was 16 years old when he shot a ridiculous -10 at the Honda Classic PGA Tour event on an exemption. That’s like Michelle Wie teeing up with the guys and winning the competition. Even Woods, given a sponsor’s exemption for the first time missed the cut.

He turned pro in 2002, having obliterated the field in Q-School and signed a multi million dollar deal with Callaway, and announcing his arrival like the Hello World Nike Commercial for Tiger.

Ty vs Tiger seems destined to be the greatest matchup history ever, it would be them on top of the leaderboards, both Phenomenons duking it out in the heavenlies while the golf mortals play for 3rd and 4th. It would be Ali vs Frazier. Connors vs McE. Coke vs Pepsi. Power Root vs Red Bull.

10 years later, the bright supernova of Tiger has somehow faded but still remain the brightest in an otherwise dreary golf universe.

Ty Tryon? He is now occasionally playing on a conditional status in the Nationwide Tour. That too, if he’s there. Otherwise, he’s probably hacking around in some of the courses found in his hometown, and a curious golf historian might just catch him in one of these Orlando tee times.

And how would history have it? As one of the most famous flameout in Golf History? As a cautionary tale to other young golfers looking to break into the PGA tour dream? How did a golfer who was seemingly bestowed with all the divine skills from the pantheon of golf gods turn into an average hacker like the writer (and most of the respected readers) of this blog?

I thought David Duval would be the Gilagolf poster boy for a hacker, but he’s actually getting really good, and he was never really that bad. Ty Tryon has seemingly gone from the highest peaks to the lowest of the lowest pit, and is still trying to hack his way out of it.

There’s quite a lack of coverage on Ty Tryon for some time, except for his awful showing at the recent 2011 US Open. We hope he picks up his game soon and escape the realm of hackerism that plagues the rest of us. Go Tryon!!